Having a healthy social network is an important factor for professional success. Networking is essential to growing your professional connections and accessing new opportunities.
Regardless of the sector you work in, a strong network will provide you with additional support in the event of difficulties, as well as help you find new job opportunities or accelerate your career.
However, for many people, it can be a challenge to maintain and grow their networks. Most people struggle to find time to attend networking events, feel awkward reaching out to strangers, or just don’t know where to start when it comes to meeting new people.
In this article, we’ll explore five ways that could help you build your professional network when you feel stuck personally and professionally.
Try new tactics to widen your network
One of the best ways to widen your network is to try new tactics, like new ways to approach people or join different networks and events. You may be limiting yourself if you stick to the same paths that you already know work well for you.
For example, you can be a member of the same LinkedIn group and attend the same industry event every week. While these are great ways to meet people, they can also get repetitive and mundane. By trying new tactics, you could expand your network to new people and new places. For example, you can try hosting a meetup at a local coffee shop or attending a meeting related to a topic outside of your industry.
Set a goal to meet a certain number of people each week
The best way to take control of your network is to set a goal for the number of people you want to meet each week. You can set a weekly goal or a certain number of people to meet each month.
If you can’t attend networking events, you can also connect with people through social media and email to expand your network. This way, you make sure you don’t stagnate and be able to grow your network.
Look for opportunities to speak at events and conferences
Another great way to meet more people is to offer to speak at events and conferences. This may sound scary at first, but you’ll find that many people are looking for speakers but can’t find the right person to invite.
You can also approach organizations you want to be a member of and offer to help them. For example, volunteering at events, helping out on social media, or simply being part of the organization. You will meet many people who are also interested in expanding their network, and you will expand yours at the same time.
Network with former colleagues
You can also network with old colleagues from your previous jobs and internships. After leaving your last job, you may feel lost when expanding your network.
If you have left your job on good terms, you should contact your former colleagues in the industry and let them know that you are available for new opportunities. You can also start attending events and conferences where you can meet people in your industry.
Networking event hack
If you want to expand your network of contacts, you should also consider hacking networking events, that is, taking advantage of other people’s networks. You can do this simply by attending a networking event and then looking for people who seem to be in your network. This means that these people belong to the same industry or are interested in the same things as you. You can then introduce yourself to these people and ask if they would be interested in introducing you to other people in the room. In this way, you can quickly and easily expand your network of contacts and meet new people who could be useful for your career.
Networking is not something that is done once and then forgotten. It is something you should constantly work on, as it is one of the best ways to grow your career and meet new people. If you feel stuck and don’t know where to start, try some of the ideas in this article. And don’t forget to keep track of the contacts you make. This will help you get the most out of your networking efforts and grow your network.
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Resources:
Flex Jobs (2022) 8 Ways To Grow Your Professional Network.
Huffpost (2016) 8 Tips To Help Grow Your Professional Network.
